Dear Friends,
Our office is serving as a powerful force for economic justice in Washington. We are working every day to make our state more affordable. We are fighting for more affordable grocery bills, hospital bills, utilities and travel.
We’re also improving public safety and winning resources that are helping to combat the fentanyl epidemic.
In the first month of 2024, we delivered four legal victories resulting in more than $300 million for the state and people of Washington.
- Providence – We are successfully enforcing a critical law that ensures millions of Washingtonians have access to substantial discounts on their out-of-pocket hospital costs. We won more than $157 million in refunds and debt forgiveness for nearly 100,000 individuals whom the hospital did not provide this protection. Learn more about the case here. Learn more about how you can access this protection here.
 
- Johnson & Johnson and Publicis Health – Our office is continuing to lead in the effort to hold accountable the corporations that helped fuel the opioid epidemic. This effort is resulting in more than $1.2 billion – and counting – that we are sending to policymakers at the state and local level to combat the fentanyl and opioid crisis. These two victories will yield more than $130 million that must be used for this purpose this fiscal year. Read more about these cases here and here.
- Allianz – We won an important case that is resulting in industrywide reform of the travel insurance industry in Washington. As a result of this case, Allianz must pay $1.5 million. 560 Washingtonians harmed by Allianz’s discrimination will receive full reimbursement for their travel losses and the premiums they paid — plus interest. This will total approximately $800,000. Read more about this case here.
- Lumen (formerly CenturyLink) – As a result of our investigation Lumen paid $707.55 to more than 1,000 Washingtonians whose landlines it illegally disconnected during the COVID public health emergency, cutting off critical access to communications during the pandemic. This equals a total payment of $825,000 to impacted Washingtonians. Read more about this case here.
I’m proud that my affirmative litigation teams that represent the people of Washington have won more than 800 consumer protection cases while I’ve been Attorney General. We have won billions of dollars in financial restitution, debt forgiveness and services for Washingtonians. Yes, billions with a “b”.
These cases make our state a more affordable place to live.
Kroger/Albertsons merger
We also filed a major lawsuit in January. We are challenging the proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger in King County Superior Court. This merger between these two large corporations will reduce competition, which will decrease choices and raise prices for Washingtonians.
The Seattle Times published an editorial in support of our lawsuit. You can read it here.
 
Claim a check for $50 or $120
Speaking of affordable groceries, there’s still time to file a claim to receive a payment from our recoveries in price-gouging lawsuits against the tuna and broiler chicken industries. Families within 175% of the federal poverty level are eligible for checks of $50 for individuals and $120 for households with two or more people.
File your claim here. Let your eligible friends and family know there’s still time to file claims through June 5, 2024.
Confining sex predators
Finally, as an example of the work we are doing to improve public safety, we won multiple trials that will make our state safer from sex predators.
- We won two civil commitment trials resulting the confinement of in two individuals who repeatedly sexually assaulted children. As a result of our work, these sexually violent predators were civilly committed to the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island.
- We successfully prosecuted two individuals in Yakima County for attempting to rape children. The judge sentenced them to indeterminate prison sentences with maximum terms of life in prison.
Tune in next month when we’ll update you on the progress of legislative priorities for the 2024 session. In short, our five Attorney General Request bills are all still alive and moving through the process, including legislation increasing the penalties for price-fixing, increasing community supervision for sexually violent predators, creating an AI task force, expanding benefits for veterans and combating wage theft.
You can learn more about our legislative priorities here.
We will continue to seek justice and protect the health and safety of all the people in Washington State.
Bob Ferguson
Washington State Attorney General
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